Clutch



T. WALSH.

C-LUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED IuNIz 23, |919.

1,375,191 v Patented Apr. 19, 1921..

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T. WALSH.- CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2311919. I 193%,191 'lamented Apr. 19,1921.

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T. WALSH.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATI'ON FILED JUNE 23. 19.19.

1,375,191 'Patented Apr. 19, 1921.A 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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TIMOTHY WALSH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. .i

CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apl', 19, 1921'.

Application filed June 23, r1919. SerialNo. 306,001;

To all whom t may concern.' Be it known `that I, TIMOTHY' VVALsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved clutch which can be used practically for driving one shaft by power transmitted from another shaft and in which the direct clutching agent consists of liquid Vor other fiuid compressed between the drivingv means and the driven means.

v Anotherv object is to so construct my imv my invention, f 30 Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 3is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an eccentric shaft which forms a part of my invention, n

Fig. 6 is an edgeelevation of a substantially cylindrical body portion which forms a part of my invention, i

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a coupling ring which forms a part of my invention,

Fig. 8-is a perspective view of a slidable frame which 1s operative 1n conjunction with the coupling ring shown in Fig. 7, and l Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of a number of fiuidcompressing plungers which forms a part of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10l represents a shaft having a head lllsecured thereto, said head beingprovided with a flange 12 which isfsecured to a substantially cylindrical body portion 13, said body portion having a bushing 1,4 in which is journaled one end 15 of a shaft 16'. A hollow flanged Cenar' 17 is slidably 19 of the collar 17 is adapted to inclose the 'part 20fof the body portion 13, 'as clearly shown in Figs. l, 3 and 4. n The internal diameter of the flange 19 is greater than the external diameter of the part 20 so that'there is' no friction exerted bythe inner surface of the flange 19 against the outer peripheral i mounted` on-the portionr y 13 of the shaft '16 and theperipheral flange surface ofthe part 20. Bolts2l extend throughfthe collar 17 and have heads 22 vwhichslidably'it bored chambers 23 in the body portion `13. -Coiled springs 24 (see Figs. 3 and 4)-are interposed between the heads 22 and theinne'r ends of said chambers so that said springs operate to move the collar 17 toward the body portion 13 so vas to inclose thepart 20. y

The part 20 has -a number of cylindrical chambers 25V which are bored radially inwardy from thefperipheral vsurface of the part 20 Aandthese chambers25 extend into 'a cavity 26 formed centrally Vwithin said body portion 13. -Plungers 27 slidably fit within the chambers 25 and are pivotallyy connected bylinlrs 28- with a ,coupling ring 29, said coupling ring having a central bore A30 into which, fits aneccentric portion 31y of the shaftv 16. Thev peripheral Vsurface of the part 2.0 ofthe body portion'13 has recesses32 cut therein; they inner surfaces 33 of said recesses being arranged in planes at vright angles to the respective axes of the cylindrical chambers 25. The collar 17 has a number of filling pieces or pads 34 secured utothe inner surface of the iiange 19 by screws 35. These filling pieces or pads are yadaptedto respectively slide within the recesses 33, dueto the action of the springs 24 so astio cover the outer ends of the chambers 25, when ythe collar is in its full in-.

closing position relative to the part 20 of the ,body portion 13.4

rllhe outer portioncf the ring29 has a projection 36 providing an outer plane survface 37 and two straight edge surfaces 38.

Aframe 39'lhas a central slot 40 in which the projection 36 is adapted to slide, and guiding members 41 are secured tothe outer face 42 of the part 20 of the body portion 13 to provide` slideways for lateral extensions 43 onfthe frame`39, .as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8. Thus thering 29 is. supported and atrthe same .time can move to permit ythe rotation of, the shaft 16,. the ring 29 taking the movement prescribed by the eccentric portion 31 of said shaft 16. By thus positioning the ring 29 and having all of theY links 28 of thesamejsize and coupling the plungers as clearly shownin Fig. 3, it will be noted the plungers 27 will be reciprocated within their respective chambers and when certain of the plungers are being moved inwardlyv within their chambers, others of'the plungersv will be moving outwardly. rlhe above mentioned elements areadapted to rotate within a ca`sing44 which, as illustrated, is made fill the chambers 25 and that when the collar 17 is released the springs 24 Vwill move the collar `so that the fillingvpieeesor-pads 34 will cross andy close the outer ends of the 'chambers 25. By vproviding the recess 33 with the fiat surfaces 32, the filling pads will v form va lcomplete closure for the'chambers 25 and when the shaft 16 'is rotated the eccentric portion 31 will move the ring 29 to actuate the plungers v27. The oil or other fluid in' the chambers` 25 will be ,compressed against the filling lpieces 34.and the resulting pressure of theoil or fluid will cause the ody portion 13 and collar 17 to be rotated in conjunction and thereby drive the shaft-10. 2

` For the purpose of moving the collar 17 away from the body portion 13, sothat the fillingpieces 34 will uncover the chambers 25, lf provide the collar 17 with a hub 49 having an annular groove 50 in which is y' positioned a plate 51. Rods '52 connect with the plate 51 and pass out ofthe casingl 44 through stufingboxes 53. The rods 52, on the outside of the casing 44 areiconn'ected to a crossy head 54 and this cross head can be actuated by a foot lever or other suitable means not illustrated. y

A clutch of this type, when the collar 17 is permitted to be moved by the springs 24 will gradually 'increase in its clutching action, until the `chambers 25 will bev entirely closed by the fillingvpieces v34. 4If' the filling pieces become worn they can be readily reinovedor can be built'outso' that there will always be a snug fit betweenthe filling pieces and the recesses 33. l Bymaking thepart20 of the'body portion 13 of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the flange 19,v friction between the collar 17 andthe bodyportion 13 will be` reduced toa minimum so that itwill require comparatively little power'to withvdraw the yfilling lpieces 34 from over the that when the shaft 16 is rotatedV chambers 25. lt will be noted that theframe 39 yfreely slides between the guiding members, as clearly shown.l in".` 'F ig. 2, and the coupling ring 29 is free to slide slot 40. By this construction a free movement can be imparted to the coupling ring within the .7 0

through the medium of the eccentric portion 31 of the shaft 16 and the plungers will smoothly operate Vwithin their chambers Without any binding action.

Vilhile l have `described my invention as taking` al particular form, it will be*l undervstood that thev various parts of my inven-L Vtion may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, andhence l do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth; but consider that ll amat liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within V the scope lofthe appended claims. l H avin g thus described invention,what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters latentis:- e f* A I. 1. A clutch of the characterdescribed in-Y cluding Y a body -portion having chambers therein extending in the direction of their lengths toward a peripheral surface of said. body portion; plungers operative [within said chambers, said peripheral surface of the body portion having finished recesses therein respectively intercepting said chambers; yand a flanged "collar havingvfinish'ed portions adapted to slidably" enterv and closely fit said recesses to close the outer ends of said chambers; substantially as scribed. A Y Y 2. A clutch of the character;describedA including a substantially cylindrical bodyV por- Y tion having chambers therein1a shaftvhav-4 e jing an eccentric portion; a ring fitting said eccentric portion; plungers operativewithin the chambers; means operatively connecting the plungers to saidring, said body portionV having recesses in its outer surface-'intercepting'the outer endsY of said. chambers; a

kcollarhaving a flange of greater internal diameter than the'external diameter of said body portion whereby saidflange can em- Vb1"acc- 'said body portion so that .aspace is provided between the outer surface of said i body portion. and the .innerv surface of. said flange ;f andr filling pieces ,projecting ming an eccentric portion; a ring tting said eccentric portion; plungers operative Within the chambers; means operatively connecting the plungers to said ring; a frame slidably Y mounted on said body portion andk having a slot therein, said ring having a projection slidably fitting said slot; and a langed collar adapted to embrace said body portion so as to close the outer ends of said chambers; substantially as described.

5. A clutch of the character described including a substantially cylindrical body portion having chambers therein; a shaft having an eccentric portion; a ring fitting said eccentric portion; plungers operative Within the chambers; means operatively connecting the plungers to said ring; a flanged collar adapted Vto embrace said body portion so as to close the outer ends of said chambers, said` body portion having other chambers therein; bolts connected to said collar and having heads movable in said latter chambers; and springs positioned Within said latter chambers and operative upon the heads of said bolts, whereby the collar is moved into embracing position vvith the body portion; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

TIMOTHY WALSH.

` Witnesses H. S. CooNEs, CHAs. E. Po'rrs. 

